Assigning functions to inactive keys...

JoannesX · 05-03-2005, 09:36 AM

HI fellas...

I'd like to know how i can assign functions or at least make some keys (such as the multimedia keys) work... It'd be great if I could open Kaffeine Media Pĺayer just pressing the "Media" key in the keyboard.. But It'd be even better if the "Prev Track" and "+ - volume" worked as well..

How do I make them work and assign functions to them..???

Thanks.. I'm using Slackware 10.1, KDE 3.3...

Matir · 05-03-2005, 09:42 AM

I have them working on my keyboard, which I just recently got.

Well, I have all but the Forward and Back arrows (for the browser), but I'm working on those.

Anyway, Look into a program called "hotkeys". It's really straightforward to get set up.

oneandoneis2 · 05-03-2005, 09:59 AM

All you need to know are the commands "xev" and "xmodmap". xev tells you what the keycodes are, xmodmap tells your computer what to do when it receives a particular keycode.

I have forward & back buttons for my browser, along with volume & media player controls. It's dead easy

Matir · 05-03-2005, 11:04 AM

How did you set up the forward and back buttons?

And I like hotkeys because it will let it run arbitrary applications regardless of even the desktop environment/wm.

JoannesX · 05-03-2005, 11:37 AM

I knew about xev and xmodmap.. but the fact is that nothing happens when I press "media" keys..
they're noit being even recognized I think...

well.. i've already checked hotkeys..

Matir · 05-03-2005, 11:40 AM

xev doesn't show anything when pressing a media key?

is this keyboard USB or PS/2?

JoannesX · 05-03-2005, 11:48 AM

no it shows.. yea right it shows.. see what happens:
===============================================
KeyPress event, serial 30, synthetic NO, window 0x2800001,
root 0xd6, subw 0x0, time 146506665, (727,957), root

731,987),
state 0x10, keycode 237 (keysym 0x0, NoSymbol), same_screen YES,
XLookupString gives 0 bytes:
XmbLookupString gives 0 bytes:
XFilterEvent returns: False

KeyRelease event, serial 30, synthetic NO, window 0x2800001,
root 0xd6, subw 0x0, time 146506785, (727,957), root

731,987),
state 0x10, keycode 237 (keysym 0x0, NoSymbol), same_screen YES,
XLookupString gives 0 bytes:
===============================================

how can I make it .. for example open JuK.. (my media player)..
i just wanted to put it in the "keyboard shortcuts" .. but when I press it.. nothing appears..

Matir · 05-03-2005, 11:54 AM

Then you probably need to map the key to a X keycode first, using xmodmap.

JoannesX · 05-03-2005, 12:19 PM

can u tell me a syntax.. i didnt understand the one i got from the help..
i type "xmodmap" and???

oneandoneis2 · 05-03-2005, 01:29 PM

Okay, here's what I have for my hotkeys:

An Xmodmap file with the contents

Code:

keycode 115 = F13 
keycode 116 = F14 
keycode 117 = F15 
keycode 234 = F16 
keycode 233 = F17 
keycode 231 = F18 
keycode 122 = F19 
keycode 230 = F20 
keycode 130 = F21 
keycode 160 = F22 
keycode 174 = F23
keycode 176 = F24
keycode 162 = F25
keycode 164 = F26
keycode 144 = F27
keycode 153 = F28

This is executed by Xorg on startup - see your Xsession file. The keycodes were obtained by xev. In your example, you would use keycode 237 = F13 (or whatever key)

This gives me a whole load of new function keys - F13 to F28.

Then in my .fvwm2rc (FVWM is my windows manager) I have the following:

Code:

Key F13         A       A       Popup "Utilities"
Key F14         A       A       Menu "Window Ops" Nop
Key F15         A       A       WindowList
Key F16         A       A       Exec mozillaback
Key F17         A       A       Exec mozillaforward
Key F18         A       A       Exec mozillarefresh
Key F19         A       A       Exec mozillasearch 
Key F20         A       A       Exec mozillafaves  
Key F21         A       A       Exec mozillahome   
Key F22         A       A       Exec xmmsmute      
Key F23         A       A       Exec xmmsvoldown   
Key F24         A       A       Exec xmmsvolup     
Key F25         A       A       Exec xmmsplay      
Key F26         A       A       Exec xmmsstop      
Key F27         A       A       Exec xmmsprev      
Key F28         A       A       Exec xmmsnext

The things it executes are simple shell scripts. mozillaback, for instance, executes:

Code:

firefox -remote "openURL(javascript:history.go(-1);)"